Store-counter.



J. S. MITCHELL da S. M. COLBURN.

STORE COUNTER.

APPLIOATIQN FILED ooT.7,191o.

1,035,223. Patented Aug. 13, 1912.

m Sgm... @M @OM 'UiviTn-n sTaTns PATENT orrion JOHN S. MITCHELL AND SERENUS M. COLBURN, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNORS TO L. S. DONALDSON COMPANY, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A

CORPORATION.

STORE-COUNTER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN S. MITCHELL and SERENUS M. COLBURN, of Minneapolis, Hennepin county, Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Store-Counters, of which the following is a specification.

Store counters are usually built up, having a top, and front and end panels or walls securely fastened together and braced on the floor in a. suitable manner. It is almost impossible to move a counter so constructed without racking or twist-ing it outl of shape and frequently the top or the panels are broken in the moving operation. Furthermore, the front panel is located close to the outer edge of the top and prevents a person from sitting close to the counter and compels the placing of the stools or chairs for the customers out a considerable distance into the aisle.

The object, therefore, of our present invention is to provide a knock-down counter capable of being easily separated and moved from place to place, and having a top of suitable thickness so that it will be self sustaining, suitable standards being provided at intervals to support the top the desired distance from the floor.

A further object is to provide a counter having an open space beneath the outer portion of the top which will allow the customer to sit close to the counter, or will per mit the stools or chairs to be set in under or close to the counter when they are not in use, and in case the stools are fastened to the floor they may be located almost directly under the edge of the counter top.

The invention consists generally in a counter consisting of a comparatively thick top with end and middle columns therefor, and a partition or panel located centrally with respect to the top of the counter and extending lengthwise thereof.

Further the invention consists in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In t-he accompanying drawings forming part of this specication, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a store counter embodying our invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, Fig. 3 is an end view, Fig. 4C is a sectional view on the line Ueof Fig. 1.

In the drawing, 2 represents the counter Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led October 7, 1910.

ratenteanug. 13,1912.

Serial No. 585,883.

top, built up, preferably, of strips of wood and substantially four inches in thickness, altho-ugh the thickness may be varied according to the size of the counter.

3 represents the columns for the table consisting, preferably, of suitable castings, such as bronze, ornamented in any desired way, and having flanges l through which screws pass into the bottom of the counter top. These columns are arranged, preferably, as shown in Fig. 3, three at each end of the counter and two in the middle thereof. Two of the columns at each end are preferably in substantially the same plane, eX- tending transversely of the counter, while the third column is located near the middle of the counter at right angles substantially to the other columns. All of the columns are preferably flattened in form and their bases have broad bearing surfaces to rest upon the floor while the capitals of the columns are of substantially the same size as the bases and have broad, iiat tops to which the counter bed or top is secured, as above described. These columns form very substantial supports for the counter and their bases have such broad bearing surfaces on the floor and they are so stable in construction that a securing means for the bases will be unnecessary.

Between the end and middle columns we provide an upright panel 5 extending from the floor to the bottom 0f the counter top beneath the middle portion and secured by suitable means, such as the brace 6. This panel does not supportany portion of the counter but merely fills the openings between the end and middle columns and provides a place on one side, or back of thev counter, where boxes and wrapping paper may be piled without being in view of the customer. On the other side of the panel a similar space is formed between the top supports to allow room for the customer to sitclose to the counter, and also allow the stools or chairs to be pushed up close or in under the counter when not in use, assuming, of course, that the stools or chairs are not fastened to the Hoor. In ease the stools are secured to the lioor they may be set almost directly under the edge of the counter, or much nearer than usual with counters constructed in the ordinary way.

The counters are made in sections of suitable length placed end to end, and any desired number of the counters may be used, according to the space required to lill. ln shipping, the counters are taken apart and packed in knock-down forni and in moving from place to place in a store the top may be taken ol'l and the columns set up separately Wherever it may be desired to locate the counter.

The ornamentation of the shafts of the columns may, of course, be varied according` to the taste of the designer and in various Ways the details ot Construction may be inoditied Without departing` from our invention. y

lille claim as our inventionl. A store counter eolnliirising upright columns having bases provided with tlat bearing surfaces adapted to rest upon the tloor and Capitals also having` tlat surfaces, a Counter bed removably supported on the tlat surfaces of said Capitals, there being three columns at each end. oit said bed, tivo of said Columns being disposed transversely of said bed, one on each side of the. longitudinal center line thereof, the third end eoluinn being` disposed at right angles sulstantially to the plane oit` the other two end Columns and abutting against the inner portions of the saine, and a vertical partition or panel extending lengthwise of the Counter beneath and near the longitudinal middle line thereoi'l and having a suitable bracing means, the inner faces of said transverse end eoluinns being seated against. the end portions of said panel, substantially as described.

Q. A store Counter comprising upright Columns having bases provided with tat bearing surfaces adapted to rest upon the floor, the Capitals of said columns also having' flat bearing,- surfaces, a bed adapted to rest upon said capitals, there being a column on each side of the longlgitudinal center line of said Counter at eaeh end thereof and transversely with respect to said Count-er, a panel extending lengthwise oi said counter beneath the longitudinal middle portion thereof and against which panel the end Columns are seated, a middle Column disposed beneath the transverse middle portion oit said bed on one side of said panel and seated agaii st the saine, unobstructed spaces being` provided beneath said bed between said iniddle column and the end eoluinns on the same side of said panel, and a space be ing also provided beneath said bed on the opposite side of said panel.

In Witness whereof, We have hereunto set our hands this 29th day ot' September 1910.

JOHN S. ltll'lCllEliL. SERENUS M. COLBURN. lVit-nesses S. L GILFILLAN, RICHARD PAUL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

